Level 1

47 points

Rear camera stopped working after upgrade to iOS 9

updated to iOS 9 on my iPhone 5. once completed the rear (main) camera shows only a black screen. the front facing camera seems to work fine. other apps don't seem to be able to use the rear camera. There is also a warning symbol when tapped declares the flash cannot be used because the iPhone is too hot. My phone seems to be at room temperature. Also the flashlight does not work. I noticed the warning symbol doesn't appear (after a phone restart) until I switch to the front camera and back to the rear camera

This same issue seems to have appeared in iOS 8.4 updates from searching the forums here.

I have restored my phone and turned it off and on, but nothing has worked.

anyone?

thanks for any help.

iPhone 5, iOS 9

Posted on Sep 16, 2015 1:47 PM

Top-ranking reply

wrenman

Level 1

0 points

Posted on Oct 26, 2015 10:12 AM

BRIEF SUMMARY: I had this problem with my iPhone 5 and I solved it by having the camera/flash unit replaced for $65 at a repair shop

LONGER VERSION: I updated my iPhone 5 to iOS9 several weeks ago. After a few weeks of normal use, I experienced the same problem described by others in this thread (rear camera and flashlight stopped working). I read all posts in this thread, and many others, looking for solutions. I tried everything in this thread, and from other sites (including all sorts of button-press and restart combinations; different types of restores; physically pressing on the rear camera, etc.). None of these things worked.

I went to a local repair shop (I googled "iPhone repair" in my city; there is no apple store near me). The repair shop replaced the rear camera and the flash (apparently they come as a unit). It cost $65 plus tax, and the repair took a few hours. The technician speculated that a short that was affecting both the camera and the flash. Everything is working perfectly now. The technician changed only the camera and flash hardware, not the software.

My assessment: I think my camera/flash unit broke, and that the upgrade to iOS 9 was coincidental.

With $65 spent, my phone is back to normal. Considering that I've owned my iPhone 5 for three years, and taken a huge number of photos, I suppose it shouldn't be disappointing that it would need replacement.

Clearly some people on this post have a different problem, because restoring the phone fixed the problem. If you have this problem, and if the solutions presented in this thread don't work for you, perhaps you need to have the camera/flash unit replaced in your phone. I speculate that this problem is NOT related to a software upgrade; it is coincidental that some of us have had this problem after a software upgrade, and many of us experienced the same coincidence because of the large number of iPhones on Earth.

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311 replies

Eddbee

Level 1

0 points

Nov 15, 2015 11:32 PM in response to Pointebasic

I have found a solution .. After buying every generation of iPhone since the launch as well as untold amounts of extras as well as the odd iMac . I have learnt that the reason for me buying apple products is for support and service witch in this case as been more than disappointing .. So back to my solution dare I say the dreaded word Samsung .. I will look forward to seeing if my post is deleted by the powers that be just to see if they are reading any of these posts " from there customers "

Nov 17, 2015 3:11 AM in response to cmichaelpetrie

I have two of these both have been nuked with 3 weeks of the update , both were sitting on the bedside cabinets doing nada .The Mrs and I now can't take piccies of each other tried everything but to no avail.;-(

Nov 24, 2015 8:14 PM in response to FredSimonSantos

Does anyone have a specific case number for this specific problem that I can show apple when I bring my phone in? I was on a chat with apple support and they said that they couldn't find any specific issues for this problem. It would help if I could reference a specific issue. Thank you.

Nov 30, 2015 5:48 PM in response to Pointebasic

Same problem...updated phone to IOS 9.1 and after about 3 weeks rear camera and flashlight no longer work. I've tried everything mentioned in previous posts other than disconnecting and reconnecting camera. Nothing has worked. So frustrating!

rsmurmel

Level 1

8 points

Dec 12, 2015 10:42 AM in response to rsmurmel

now i bought a new android phone und moved my sim and since then camera und flashlight are working again. strange.

but what i wanted to say, it cannot be a solution to trash the iphone if the camera stopps working and buy a new one and -since it's not individual (there are a lot having that problem) and not even restricted to one (old) model (saw iphone 6 postings in this thread)- trash the new one to buy another, when the camera on the new one stopps working and so on.

sofri74

Level 1

4 points

Dec 15, 2015 5:07 AM in response to Pointebasic

im very happy for you !! BUT what about the rest of us ????? The phone was working fine until the update ..

if Appel thing I will buy a new iPhone as the update kind of kill the camera on my iPhone 5s they are wrong .. I will buy anew phone but defenetly not an iPhone.. And I will sale my other iPhone 6 as well .. As probably I will have the same problem after updateing it .. So ignoring the most of us ( without even 1 reply from Apple here) is not what will make us stay a loyal costumer..

sofri74

Level 1

4 points

Dec 15, 2015 5:23 AM in response to emrahcakan

im very happy for you !! BUT what about the rest of us ????? The phone was working fine until the update ..

Dec 19, 2015 4:52 PM in response to gauravhe

I updated to iOS 9.2 a few days ago and have been using my camera and flashlight a lot. But my flashlight and camera have stopped working. When I go into the camera application it is a black screen. The front selfie camera works but when I flip back to the rear camera it won't work. So what happened here and why has my camera and flashlight stopped working just like that? It's weird. Please help me fix this apple!

CwTeo

Level 1

0 points

Dec 29, 2015 12:33 AM in response to Pointebasic

Same problem here. After updated my iPhone 5 to IOS 9.1 and about few weeks, rear camera and flashlight no longer work. And I even had try every suggestions from the previous post but none of them worked on my phone. I'm still a student and i can't afford a new iPhone. This without camera thing is driving me crazy. Hope Apple will fix it asap.

Jan 6, 2016 3:27 AM in response to Tim1094

Same Issue on my Iphone 6S bought 2 month ago. After iOS 9.2 upgrade my rear camera and flash do not work.

I tried factory reset, recovery mode wipe and restore as new, then tried a restore to previous backup.

Still have the same problem !

Need some help ! Thanks !

Jan 13, 2016 3:58 PM in response to Pointebasic

I've just updated my iPhone 5S to iOS 9.2 and my back camera don't work, black screen, while... front camera works fine. I've not took backup of the previous 8.2 version, whats should I do now? :/

I've tryed restoring, enable/disable power saver nothing work.. After reseting phone camera was working for 2-3 secs and again black screen and frozing, but that happened only once.

Should I sell it or just wait for new update?!

io5us3r

Level 1

0 points

Jan 16, 2016 6:07 AM in response to Pointebasic

Same goes with me. updated and disappointed. my first baby is coming in few days...can't even take any photos now. It's so pukima that apple haven't fix the issue. Thanks for being so pukima apple team. Really appreciate it #thumbsdown

Jan 24, 2016 5:39 AM in response to Pointebasic

So i recently upgraded my phone from ios 9 to ios 9.2.1. IDK WHY I DID THAT!

My front camera seems to work perfectly fine, but rear camera is completely black, black as apple's *******! **** you for ruining my day apple.

lkjhasdf

Level 1

0 points

Feb 18, 2016 9:46 AM in response to Mc Haggis

I add myself to the list after an upgrade. Its been like 2 weeks now and I started to work out fine for the first day, then failed a few times but worked again after a restart and now its dead. I assume that the upgrade actually overused / burned something. All other apps which use the camera state fail to initialize. I guess we will not get a solution soon.

My problem is that I though the camera was actually the best feature of the phone in the first place...

iphone5 8.x to 9.2.1

rsmurmel

Level 1

8 points

Feb 19, 2016 5:04 AM in response to Mc Haggis

my apple support experience:

- online chat: advice: trash or (if that's possible) recycle

- apple premium seller (there are no apple stores in Austria): repair: price: 320,- euro! (price for a new phone (I have an iphone 5s 16gb): 375,- euro)

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Rear camera stopped working after upgrade to iOS 9